I just LOVE a piping hot, cozy bowl of oatmeal during the chilly fall season. I remember when my mom would always make me oatmeal with sliced bananas every day (with love!) before school in junior high and I always appreciated how it would keep me satisfied and warm through my entire first two periods of life science and algebra before lunchtime. Let’s learn about how this heartwarming dish made its way to America, helps kids in school, and is known for some of America’s funniest comics!

Oatmeal and History

According to Iowa State University’s Garren Benson and Lance Gibson, oats did not come to prominence until the period after the birth of Christ. Centuries ago, oats were used as a weed-like plant in cereals before becoming a standalone food. Some authorities believe that our present cultivated oats developed as a mutation from wild oats. They think this may have taken place in Asia Minor or south­eastern Europe not long before the birth of Christ.

Photo Credit: Jason Reo

The oldest known oat grains were found in Egypt among remains of the 12th Dynasty, which was about 2,000 B.C.. The oldest known cultivated oats were found in caves in Switzerland that are believed to belong to the Bronze Age.. The chief modern center of greatest variety of forms is in Asia Minor where most all subspecies are in contact with each other. Many feel that the area with the greatest diversity of types is most likely where a particular plant originated.

Oats were first brought to North America with other grains in 1602 and planted on the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts. As early as 1786, George Washington sowed 580 acres to oats. By the 1860s and 1870s, the westward shift of oat acreage in the United States had moved into the middle and upper Mississippi Valley, which is its major area of production today.

Oatmeal and Politics

Did you know that oatmeal is consistently ranked as one of the best breakfasts to power your brain before going to school? The complex carbohydrates in oatmeal deliver a steady stream of energy to your brain to keep the body alert for exams. While eating a healthy breakfast is one way to try to help boost your education, there are a few more significant issues facing the education system today.

Photo Credit: Silk

College Affordability

With college debt on the rise year after year, it’s no doubt that with the elections in full swing, college affordability is high on the political agenda. While Democrats are pushing for free college education through tax increases, conservatives are pushing for the creation of a student-investment plan that would allow private investors to pay a student’s tuition in exchange for a share of that students’ income over a period of time. Libertarians suggest eliminating guaranteed government loans so that payback prices for students do not artificially keep rising due to the increasing number of loans, and so that scholastic competition between schools results in a price drop for students. Ongoing discussion will continue in the coming months as the election gets closer and parties work to find a solution.

Common Core

Common Core efforts for standardized national education standards have resulted in problematic changes or elimination in several states, including New York, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and others. While there has been an ongoing debate about the amendments to common core or its ability to be repealed completely, one of the biggest problems being recognized for common core is its one-size-fits-all educational approach, which fails to adapt to different student’s learning styles and educational needs.

Photo Credit: Chad Sandsedt

The Black Lives Matter Movement/Racial Discrimination

While the Black Lives Matter Movement started in 2014, several instances of discrimination have unfortunately continued across college campuses (for people of all races), and students across the nation are demanding that action is taken from their universities. Demands have included training about how to make marginalized students feel more welcomed on campuses, to increased funding for campus diversity offices, to community-building activities for students of color to take part in, to increased representation of people of color in faculties and student bodies. While these actions will of course not solve the issue of racism completely, they are a step in the right direction.

Campus Sexual Assault

From Columbia’s mattress-carrying sexual assault victim to the Brock Turner sexual assault case, sexual assault remains to be a serious issue on college campuses. One of the biggest conflicts that have arisen with the issue today are affirmative consent laws, which clearly define what consent is supposed to be. Because of these laws, students have become confused about what consent means, and they have also used the laws as a defense for being wrongly expelled in sexual assault cases.

Following this, another issue is the government requirement that colleges report all incidents of sexual assault often encourages schools to do all that they can to sweep sexual assault cases under the rug, handling these sexual assault cases inappropriately for fear that reports of sexual assault will ruin a school’s reputation.

With so much media attention on the hotly debated issue in recent years as well as the rising support for the world-famous He for She campaign, discussion continues for how to best provide support for sexual assault victims, handle dialogue around sexual assault to avoid victim-blaming, and how to properly prosecute perpetrators of sexual assault in both a fair and just manner.

Photo Credit: Bill Sobel

I had the pleasure of speaking with politicians from both sides of the aisle about the issue of educations. Congressman Steve Israel (D – NY) points out that education is an “extremely important issue” in which his book, “The War on Morris,” is full of lessons for Americans to learn about, from the war on terror and the dangers of government corruption and bureaucracy. He is thrilled that the book has sold so many copies to educate Americans on those issues.

Photo Credit: NBC News

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich recognizes the need for education to be dealt with in a non-partisan manner so that the needs of the American people are met first. “[We need to] be open to all the arguments on every side so that everyone has an honorable ability to seek the truth.”

Oatmeal and Pop Culture

Oatmeal is most widely recognized in the title of Matthew Inman’s super-popular humor website, “The Oatmeal,” created in 2009, in which everything from siracha, to customer service calls, to how to suck at your religion is covered. Inman is a cartoonist born in my hometown of Seattle, Washington, whose hilariously funny comics have spawned a merchandise empire, fundraisers for important causes, online political arguments, and even legal disputes. Check out his witty comics today!

From Inman’s “Relationship Problems”:

Photo Credit: Matthew Inman

Banana Oatmeal Cups with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

3 mashed bananas (the more ripe the better!)

1 cup 1 % milk

2 eggs

1 tbsp baking powder

3 cups (240g) Old Fashion or Rolled Oats

2 tsps vanilla extract

3 tbsp (42g) mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips together, and let sit while you prepare the muffin pans.

Spray a muffin pan and/or liners with with non-stick spray.

Stir the chocolate chips into the oatmeal batter.

Divide batter into 15 muffin cups. They should be just about filled.

Bake 20-30 minutes, you’ll see the edges just starting to brown and they will be firm to the touch.

The muffins may stick when hot but are removed easily when cooled for a bit.

Sources:

Benson, Garren and Lance Gibson. “Origin, History, and Uses of Oat (Avena sativa) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum).” Iowa State University. Iowa State University Department of Agronomy, 2 January 2002. Web. 28 September 2016.

Neff, Blake. “These Will Be the Most Important Education Issues of 2016.” The Daily Caller. The Daily Caller, 1 January 2016. Web. 28 September 2016.

Hi everyone! I hope you all have had a fantastic summer ❤ My sincerest apologies to you all for being away for so long…I had been quite busy adjusting to this new chapter in my life. To all of you, thank you for sticking with me. I just graduated, have an incredible new job working as a marketing assistant for a high-end furniture store (Lana Furniture), and moved into a fantastic new apartment with my roommate, former beauty queen and dedicated girl scout, Liza (look out for interviews with her in the future!) Now that I’ve finally settled in a bit, I am so thrilled to return to writing.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

As we know, fall is just around the corner, the kids are back in school, the air is getting cooler, and, pretty soon, the leaves will begin changing color! In honor of my favorite season, today we will be exploring a traditional fall dish and American classic….apple pie, of course! I always loved having family dinners at my grandmother’s house in Seattle on Sundays in the fall, and my favorite part of the night would always be when our family would sit around her fire, eating apple pie with vanilla ice cream and discussing our various lives as teachers, authors, marketers, or medical and security professionals. Let’s take a look at how this tasty dessert relates to World War II, the American dream, pop music and 90’s American comedy.

Apple Pie and History

The first written apple pie recipe goes back to 1381 in England. It was printed by Geoffrey Chaucer and included apples, figs, raisins, pears and a pastry shell (but no sugar). Evidence of Dutch apple pies goes back to the 1600s. In addition to apples, Dutch pies include lemon and cinnamon and sometimes raisins and icing. The tarte tatin, or French version of apple pie, was created by accident by hotel owner Stephanie Tatin when she was trying to make a traditional apple pie in the 1880s.

Though apple pie was originated by the British, the dish was coined an American favorite during World War II, when soldiers would answer the question, “Why are you going to war?” with, “For mom and apple pie.” Since then, many things throughout history have been credited as being “as American as apple pie.”

Apple Pie and Politics

As apple pie is considered to be an “All-American” dish, there has been an ongoing debate about whether the American Dream, an idea that has shifted meaning over time, is dead or alive.

Photo Credit: 4ever.com

Pessimists attain their view largely to the fact that student debt has skyrocketed and employment opportunities are scarce. In fact, lack of job opportunities have contributed to the doubling of poverty levels among young people to more than 15 percent, compared with the 8 percent experienced by early baby boomers at a similar point in their lives. Additionally, student debt and defaults have continued to rise, surpassing $1.3 trillion last year. These economic pitfalls have prevented young people from reaching milestones in life, such as buying a home or getting married, which can have an impact on one’s quality of life.

Optimists, on the other hand, say that the American Dream is alive and well in the traditional sense, though they acknowledge that the term means different things to different people and has evolved over time. For example, new Americans on the whole believe that live has been much better for them in America, whereas Americans who have lived in the country for a while tend to look past the traditional meaning of the American Dream (decent job, home ownership, good education, better life for kids) and measure the American Dream in terms of wealth acquired. According to CNBC’s Evan Rosenfeld, only 40% of Americans over age 18 believe they are living the American Dream, however, those same 7.015 people surveyed reported owning a home, having a good education, and giving their children better lives than they themselves had. Optimists believe that while the American Dream is alive in the traditional sense, they also report feeling less financially secure and may feel that they are not living the American Dream when it comes to wealth.

What do you think? Is the American Dream alive or dead? Let me know your opinions!

Apple Pie and Pop Culture

Apple pie has made a statement in American culture in many ways over the years, especially through advertisements, music, art, and film.

Advertisements

For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, advertisements showed housewives baking pies as a symbol for a happy family.

Photo Credit: Solo Foods

Music

In 1975, Chevrolet came up with the song “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.” Apple pie was further established as an American classic by being associated alongside two of America’s favorite pastimes, which are watching baseball while eating hot dogs. Chevrolet recently reintroduced this jingle in 2012.

Famous artist James Montgomery Flagg is widely credited with designing variations of the legendary Uncle Sam “I want you” poster for the United States government. Additionally, the popular American artist is known for painting women baking pies, as shown above, helping apple pies rise to prominence in American culture.

Film

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

In 1999, the wildly popular comedy, “American Pie” was released, winning over hearts with its raunchy, vividly honest humor about high school, adulthood, friendship, and sex. The 90’s classic was the catalyst that transformed apple pie from a simple comforting dessert to a symbol of freedom, belonging, and growing up in American culture.

If Using Homemade Pie Crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cover and pulse until blended. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While processing, gradually add water until dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until easy to handle.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-Inch pie pan with parchment paper. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter (pecan layer) over parchment paper.

Press pecan halves into butter around sides and bottom of pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Spray edges of pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using store bought pie crust, place one pie crust over pecans; press evenly.

Otherwise, on a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to fit bottom and sides of pie plate. Transfer to plate; press the crust firmly against pecans and sides of pie plate. Trim edges.

Prepare Filling: In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Toss apples in flour mixture; spoon into pastry in plate. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cover with second pie crust; crimp edges. Cut two or three slits in top crust.

“The History of Apple Pies in American Popular Culture.” Solo Foods. Solo Foods, 3 July 2012. Web 10 September 2016.

Isn’t a freezing cold, creamy ice cream cone with bold flavors one of the best things you can eat on a hot summer day? One of my favorite memories that I had recently was when my friend Beth and I were drinking cocktails, watching “Sex and the City,” and sharing birthday cake ice cream. It was one of the best heart-to-heart girl’s nights I’ve had in a long time, largely due to the fact that Beth can make me feel better about everything, no matter if its about work, relationships, family, literally anything. If you have friends like that, hang on to them. Let’s learn about how this spring and summer favorite came about, how it relates to the current election and how it relates to some of America’s favorite celebrities!

Photo Credit: Man Repeller

Ice Cream and History

A.D. 618–907: The origins of ice cream date back to China’s T’ang period, probably as a dish for the country’s rulers. The founder of the dynasty, King T’ang of Shang, kept 94 “ice men” on hand to lug ice to the palace to make a dish made of koumiss (heated, fermented milk), flour, and camphor.

1744: The first written account of ice cream was from American colonists who brought recipes back from Europe and dined at the home of Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen.

1782: George Washington claims to possess “a cream machine for ice.”

1843: Nancy M. Johnson of Philadelphia patents the “artificial freezer” containing a tub, cylinder, lid, dasher, and crank. This design is still widely used today.

1851: Baltimore dairyman Jacob Fussell opened the first commercial ice cream factory. Ice cream factories were built in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore. Business boomed, and Fussell became the father of the wholesale ice cream industry.

1880: Buffalo, NY; Evanston, IL; Two Rivers, WI; and Ithaca, NY all claim to have invented the ice cream sundae. Wherever it happened, it first started appearing in soda fountains during the 1880’s. It was invented because ice cream sodas weren’t allowed to be sold on Sundays; the ice cream sundae was a way to circumvent that restriction. On September 22, 1903, there is a recorded application for a patent for the ice cream cone by Italo Marchiony.

1939: Grocery stores didn’t start selling ice cream until the 1930’s, and by WWII, ice cream had become so popular that it turned into somewhat of an American symbol (Mussolini banned it in Italy for that same reason). Ice cream was great for troop morale, and in 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces were the world’s largest ice cream manufacturers.

Ice Cream and Politics

Did you know that Ben and Jerry’s created a special ice cream flavor called “Empowermint” specially designed to encourage Americans to perform their civic duty and vote? At a time like now, this is more important than ever. If you don’t think that your vote matters or that things will not change…I COMPLETELY understand.

Photo Credits: Brand Eating

Having worked for very powerful people in the Democratic Party and Republican Party, watching the big wigs of the main two parties shut new ideas down when strategizing, show up to work hungover, steal work from interns to get a raise, hold secret fundraising meetings and…the worst…argue and try to sound super intellectual with people and not being open to their ideas just so they can be “right,” I completely lost faith in American politics. Even when I briefly became very actively involved with the Libertarian third party, I became disillusioned that the party was the smallest and had so many different ideas within the party…though it was, by far, the kindest, most passionate group of people I had come across. I shared these concerns with Huffington Post contributor and founder of Blue Republican Radio, Robin Koerner.

Robin said to me…”I completely sympathize with you. However, I still have faith. We need to speak to the injustices that people are feeling. When politicians get too technical, people cannot relate, and feel like they are not being sympathized with. This is something that all parties (especially ours) are guilty of. But when I personally speak about these injustices all over the country, people tell me that these are often the best speeches they’ve heard. That’s why I still believe we are on the right track.”

I always found this anecdote to be inspirational, though I never fully believed it until I saw the news a few nights ago…Gary Johnson, the third party candidate, was trending on national news and gained his support to TEN PERCENT OF THE VOTE in a very short period of time. Robin had been right all along. Change is upon us, and it is all in our power to make it so.

This fact is true, in this election most particularly. Whether you’re for Trump, Sanders, Hillary, or Johnson (I support your right to make your personal choices!)… the fact is, we have these fringe candidates gaining so much attention because these injustices are finally being addressed, and we the people are single-handedly voicing our opinions to change the status quo. And guess what? The numbers don’t lie. It’s working.

If you take away anything from this, please let it be that YOUR VOICE, and YOUR VOTE, matter, and it will make its mark in this election more than ever before. Here are a few quick facts about voting in the United States from Heather Sanders:

Photo Credit: Secular Policy Institute

Why do we vote on Tuesday? In 1845, because we were an agrarian society that travelled by horse and buggy, farmers needed a day to get a county seat, vote, and get back. Because Wednesday was Market Day and Sundays were days of worship, Tuesday was the only logical day. In 1875 Congress extended the Tuesday date for national House elections and in 1914 for federal Senate elections.

In 1888, Massachusetts became the first state to adopt a statewide secret ballot system.

On June 4, 1919, women received the right to vote.

The Voting Rights Act, passed on August 6, 1965, was passed to prevent discriminatory voting practices against African-Americans.

In 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower its voting age to 18.

Every state has a different voter registration deadline.

About 60% of America’s eligible voting population casts their vote during election years.

The Millennial generation accounts for 50% of the electorate.

Pew Research Center surveys indicate that 50% of Millennials describe themselves as political independents and 29% claim to not be affiliated with any religion.

In 2012, 4% more young women voted than men.

Maine and Vermont are the only states that allow felons to vote from prison.

Based on the current allocation of electoral votes, a candidate could win the presidency with electoral majorities in only 11 states. Conversely, a candidate could win every vote in 39 states and DC and still lose the presidency.

Sources:

Cave, James. “Ben & Jerry’s New Flavor ‘Empower Mint’ Is More Political and Punny Than Ever.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, Inc. 17 May 2016. Web. 29 May 2016.

Sanders, Heather. “Twenty Interesting Things About Voting in the United States.” The Pioneer Woman. WordPress, 4 November 2014. Web. 29 May 2016.

Ice Cream and Pop Culture

Some of our favorite comedians and celebrities have received the honor of getting their very own ice cream flavor from Ben and Jerry’s! Here is a quick list about the flavors, their backgrounds, and their charity proceeds:

Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are mixed with together and it looks like cookie dough. You don’t want any dry cake mix to remain.

Drop spoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) on a baking sheet. You will need 2 sheets in order to use up all of the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Allow your ice cream to soften slightly if needed. This can be done by letting the carton sit on the counter for a minute or two.

Place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press the cookies together to slightly flatten the ice cream. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies, but only assemble them when you are ready to eat them.

In the heat of springtime, there is perhaps no better time of year to enjoy fresh crab cakes than right now (preferably with a nice view of the water). I had the pleasure of doing this very activity when my parents came to visit me from Seattle about three weeks ago to watch me present at the Mathias Research Conference here in DC. On April 2, I took my good friends and some of my former roommates Karriea, Alex, and Nick to Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place overlooking the Georgetown Waterfront, and we had a blast discussing our memories from college, such as living together, taking a trip to New York, and talking about how we all first met. In fact, we were so impressed by the crab cakes that I ordered that we even attempted to make my mom’s delicious crab cakes ourselves (alas, it did not work out so well), but we had a wonderful evening watching Hot Fuzz (perhaps one of the wittiest comedies I’ve ever seen) and playing Cards Against Humanity. Crab cakes, as a dish, are that much more special to me because I will always have this amazing memory eating them surrounded by my family and my good friends/incredible former roommates. Since I am about to graduate in a matter of weeks, I’m feeling so many different emotions, especially about my friends possibly moving away, but in the end, I’m so grateful that I got to share so many special moments with them. Happy Earth Day and please enjoy reading about this delectable dish!

Photo Credit: Chris Shott

Crab Cakes and History

Crab cakes are considered a popular traditional specialty, especially within the Maryland and Chesapeake Bay area. According to The Crabcake Guy and Lynne Olver, food historians tell us the practice of making minced meat cakes/patties (seafood/landfood) is ancient. Minces mixed with bread/spices/fillers came about for two reasons: taste and economy. Primary evidence suggests recipes for crab-cake types dishes were introduced to the colonies by English settlers, such as rissoles and croquettes.

A survey of historic American cookbooks confirms crab recipes were popular from colonial days forward. In the 19th century crab recipes proliferated. Many of these combined bread crumbs and spices; some were fried. These recipes are variously called “to stew crabs,” “to fry crabs,” “to dress crab,” “crab patties” or “crab croquettes.” Sometimes they stand alone, others they are noted as possible variations under similar fish/shellfish recipes. The phrase “crab cake” appears to be a 20th century appellation.

“Crab cake. A sauteed or fried patty of crabmeat. The term dates in print to 1930 in Crosby Gaige’s New York World’s Fair Cook Book, where they are called “Baltimore crab cakes,” suggesting they have long been known in the South. A “crabburger” is a crab cake eaten on a hamburger bun.”-Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 103)

Sources:

“The History of Crab Cakes.” The Crabcake Guy. The Crabcake Guy, 25 July 2007. Web. 22 April 2016.

Crab Cakes and Politics

In honor of earth day, it is important that we discuss the importance of sustainable seafood for the planet. You may be wondering what sustainable fish actually is. Simply defined, sustainable seafood is “caught or farmed using methods that prioritizes the long-term life of the species as well as the well-being of the oceans. The goal of sustainability is to balance the needs of today without negatively affecting future generations, while also protecting the interests of those who work in the seafood and fishing industries” (Fishmonger). Remember to use sustainable crab for the recipe below! Let’s learn a little bit more about sustainability and the goals of the Earth Day Network campaigns from the Earth Day Network website:

Earth Day Network’s mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle to build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations.

Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 50,000 partners in 196 countries to build environmental democracy. They work through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns.

One of the major campaigns that Earth Day Network is currently working on is the Billion Acts of Green ® MobilizeU Campaign For Higher Education. This campaign encourages students, administrators, and citizens who are passionate about the environment to educate someone about the environment or reduce an individual or school’s carbon footprint.

Photo Credit: Earth Day Network

In order to do this, Earth Day Network suggests taking one of the following actions:

Host a Climate Forum!

Start a Divestment campaign on your campus!

Plan a tree planting for your campus!

Lead a recycling drive to collect as much plastic, metal, and glass as possible!

Pick up trash at a local park or beach!

Set up a screening of an environmentally-themed movie.

To participate in social media activism, use the following hashtags:

#Trees4Earth

#MobilizeU

#ClimateChange

#BillionActsofGreen

#ED2016 #ClimateForum

#ClimateEducationWeek

The theme of Earth Day 2016 is Trees for the Earth. Trees for the Earth is our campaign to plant 7.8 Billion trees around the world, one for every person the planet, by the Earth Day’s 50th anniversary in 2020.

Remember to take that one step and do something to save the planet today!

Also, check out some pics and videos from last year’s Global Citizen Earth Day concert on the National Mall that I had the amazing opportunity to attend with a few of my sorority sisters! Headliners included Train, Mary J. Blige, No Doubt, My Morning Jacket, Usher, and, my favorite band since I was 10, Fall Out Boy!

Photo Credits: Meagan Nelson

Harry Potter Actress Bonnie Wright speaks out about poverty and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump performs at Earth Day concert

Crab Cakes and Pop Culture

The movie “Wedding Crashers” is a mid-2000’s classic beloved for not only its spot-on humor, but also for its famous line, “Crab cakes and football…that’s what Maryland does!” (The phrase even has its own dedicated Facebook fan page, though depending on where people live, many have expressed their opinions about altering the slogan). Indeed, when the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2013, many Marylanders online mention celebrating the win by chanting these unforgettable words.

“Wedding Crashers” was also one of the first films do bring attention to crab cakes as a dish, a Maryland/mid-atlantic specialty, and even a popular item on wedding menus. Check out the crab cake pops below that have made their way onto guest’s plates at several weddings!

Speaking of Maryland and weddings, I’d like to make a shout out to my friend, Rebekah, in regards to her engagement! Many congratulations to you both! 🙂 Additionally, this Monday, I will be visiting my friend from home, Iris, who lives in Chicago. We will be headed to Baltimore for her job interview (Good luck!), and we can’t wait to try out the crab cakes and other delicious foods that Maryland has to offer. Happy Earth Day everyone, and hope you enjoyed reading about one of my favorite foods!

A little bit at a time, gently fold the wet mixture into the crab meat. This part takes some patience because you really want to avoid breaking up the lump meat.

Using a kitchen scale, weigh out 1 ounce bites and gently shape them with your hands.

Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet (baking spray works well) and place the crab cake bites on the sheet.

Place a small piece of butter on top of each crab cake bite.

Broil for 7­-10 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don’t burn. Allow them to cook on one side the entire time (the lack of filler makes them very delicate). If the tops seem like they’re going to burn, lower the oven rack or switch the broiler to a lower setting. You’re not cooking the meat but you want the filling to solidify and the egg to cook through.

When the tops are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool. Place a toothpick in each crab cake bite before serving.

Wow, it has been an incredibly busy, but wonderful few weeks (therefore, please accept my sincerest apologies for the major delay in posting time!) This past weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to present my research about the representation of gender through the usage of food metaphors in hip-hop and pop music from the early 1990s to late 2000s at the Robyn Rafferty Mathias Research Conference in Washington, DC.

Anyone who knows me best knows that I can not live without music—especially rock and pop music. Therefore, I decided to combine my love of rock and pop music with another issue I care deeply about, which is feminism (no, not the man-hating kind…the Sex and the City/Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants kind!). I just wanted to take this opportunity to share my project with you, because it very much fits with the concept of this blog and I had a blast getting to pick apart some of the most iconic songs of the past two decades. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Aren’t fish and chips just delicious this time of year, especially when the sun is coming out and you’re ready to chill outside? One of my favorite memories eating fish and chips was when I graduated high school in Seattle and two of my best friends and I got to travel to London, Copenhagen, and Berlin for a few weeks. We were sitting outside in London back in June 2012, when Summer Olympic fever took over Trafalgar Square and the city was highly energized from The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (the royals were pictured literally everywhere you walked!) After doing a little window shopping, we bundled up and stopped for drinks at The Ice Bar (yes—a bar made entirely of ice), and headed down to Piccadilly Circle later that night, where we caught a glimpse of Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield promoting “The Amazing Spider-Man” on the red carpet. That trip was, by far, a memory of a lifetime.

Photo Credits: Meagan Nelson

Because this blog focuses on everything that makes up American culture, this post will put a spotlight one aspect of America that I am most proud of, and that is the melting pot of cultures that can be found in this country. (Shout out to my international readers! Thank you J) Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Huffington Post contributor, Cambridge graduate, and Blue Republican radio show founder, Robin Koerner, about what it was like for him to come to America, differences between American and British culture, and his thoughts on our immigration system. Robin is one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, who is one of the few people I know who can speak about political issues in a truly genuine way that can make anyone, regardless of race, gender, class, or background, understand and sympathize. Now, let’s learn all about fish and chips, and embark on a British adventure. Enjoy! xoxo

Photo Credit: Royalty Free Image

Fish and Chips and Pop Culture

Even though Fish and Chips are considered to be a classic dish from the UK, the dish has integrated itself very naturally within American culture, as several authentic fish and chip shops have popped up across the nation, and the dish is eaten at any time of the year.

There is no better place, perhaps, to experience a delicious plate of fish and chips than in a place that feels like you are a tourist of the United Kingdom itself…The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! While America went wild over the beloved magical universe featuring Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley that opened up in 2010 and 2014 in Orlando, the nation has even MORE to get excited about…

Photo Credit: Meagan Nelson

Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch announced on December 8, 2015 that Harry’s world would be making its way out west to the heart of the film industry (Hollywood!) on April 7th, 2016 (just a few weeks away!) While the theme park in Universal Studios Hollywood has not officially opened up yet, here are a few fun facts about the park I was able to gather based on research told by a few lucky visitors who have gotten to experience the park’s “soft openings,” or sneak peeks, happening now:

Photo Credit: ABC7

Visitors can dine on fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, turkey legs, and, of course, butterbeer, in The Three Broomsticks restaurant, which will be a replica of the same British pub based on the films in the Orlando theme park. Fun fact: the blocked-off staircases in the restaurant lead to REAL rooms!

The universe will feature one of the best theme park rides in amusement history, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, (which is rumored to be a 3-D experience!) The ride will be located inside a replica of Hogwarts castle and will showcase some of the actual props from the film set, such as the table and chalkboard from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom!

The Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster will be 50 feet taller, 1,30 feet wider, and 40 mph faster than the same ride at the Universal Orlando theme park

The Hogwarts Express at Universal Studios Hollywood will feature more green-screen scenes of Harry and friends in each of the cars, just like the train at Universal Studios Florida, however, this one will feature more of the actual props from the films, including the actual luggage racks used on the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films!

A red carpet premiere, likely to feature many of the stars from the Harry Potter films, is set to take place on April 5th. Mark your calendars!

MacDonald, Brady. “What to expect when the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood opens in April.” The Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times, 14 January 2016. Web. 10 March 2016.

Fish and Chips and History

Fish and chips first began as a tradition of cooking potatoes and fried fish together in the 17th century. Fried fish was first discovered by Jewish immigrants, who later brought their creation from Spain, to Portugal, then to London. In fact, Charles Dickens even references eating fish and chips in his 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities. He mentions ‘Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil’. American President, Thomas, Jefferson, also enjoyed eating fish and chips during his visits to the Capitol in the 18th century.

The concept of potatoes as chips originated in the Belgian Greenmarket, and was sold by immigrant Edward De Gernier in the late 1800s.

Over in Ireland, legend has it the first fish and chips were sold by an Italian immigrant, Giuseppe Cervi, who mistakenly stepped off an America-bound ship at Cobh (then called Queenstown) in County Cork and walked all the way to Dublin (“As British as Fish and Chips”). He started by selling fish and chips outside Dublin pubs from a handcart (“As British as Fish and Chips”).

When he later found his way to Brunswick Street (now Pearse Street), his wife Palma would ask customers “Uno di questa, uno di quella?” This phrase (meaning “one of this, one of the other”) entered the vernacular in Dublin as “one and one”, which is still a way of referring to fish and chips in the city (“As British As Fish and Chips”).

Photo Credit: Royalty Free Image

By the 1870s, fish and chips began to spread to the industrial towns in the Pennines in order to serve as hot meals for the workers producing cotton and wool. “The development of trawl fishing in the North Sea provided unprecedented supplies of white fish (“As British As Fish and Chips”). The development of the rail network, connecting ports such as Grimsby and Whitby to the Nation’s major industrial cities meant that fresh fish could now be readily transported to the heavily populated areas with legions of hungry workers to feed (‘As British As Fish and Chips”).

Ever since the 1880s, fish and chips then became a satisfying staple for families who did not have the financial means to feed their families properly otherwise. Between 1910 and 1927, about 35,000 fish and chip shops popped up across the country.

In fact, during World Wars I fish and chips were credited with helping the soldiers win the war because the rations helped sustain the starving men during the trying times. Following this, in World War II, British soldiers called out ‘fish’ and the response or password was ‘chips’ in an effort to identify each other during the D-Day landings (“As British As Fish and Chips”).

Today, fish and chip shops remain to be some of the world’s most proudly owned family businesses, and 10,500 shops operate within Britain alone (“As British As Fish and Chips”). While the “proper” way to cook a British chip is to cook the chip twice with two vats of oil at different temperatures at popular chip shops like Frankie’s Fish shop in the British Isles, Americans prefer to eat their fish and chips with steak fries, at different fish and chip shops, such as Ivar’s in Seattle (my favorite!) or The Shakespeare in New York City. What’s YOUR favorite spot to grab a plate of fish and chips?

Doesn’t the smell of fresh coffee just fill your soul with warmth? There’s a reason why we can’t start our day out right without it! Coffee is such an integral part of culture, since Americans drink it during business meetings, to help them stay alert for school, and, best of all, to socialize with friends. I have a very vivid memory of a time that I felt very connected with coffee’s history, being a Seattle native. My mom and I took the day off on a spring day back in 2011 and we spent the morning down at the iconic Pike Place Market, (my favorite place to wander), where the world’s first Starbucks is located.Photo Credit: Romanemin.com

We ate a quick breakfast at The Crumpet Shop and decided to stop by the first Starbucks to relax over a cup of coffee. It was only my SECOND time in that shop over my 17 years of living there. Why? If you ever decide to check the store out (and I recommend that you do!), be prepared to stand in a line that wraps around the building… every day. By some miracle, the line was actually an average length that day we visited. I remember being in such amazement over the beauty of the incredible woodwork and the very cozy ambience of that coffee shop…it feels exactly the way a coffee shop should. That morning, my mom and I talked about everything from family, to boys, to work, to where I wanted to go to college…I always loved those moments when I could spend an entire day with my mother, since both my parents work full time; I will cherish that moment always. Let’s explore the cultural significance behind the nation’s most popular drink.

Coffee and Pop Culture

Taylor Swift wowed the world at the 2016 Grammy Awards after her big win for “1989” as Album of the Year. Another time she had everyone buzzing was during Valentine’s Day last year, when everyone thought that her hit, “Blank Space” contained the lyrics “Starbucks Lovers.” Because of this, Taylor sent out a clever tweet, saying, “Sending my love to all the lonely Starbucks lovers out there this Valentine’s Day…..even though that is not the correct lyric.”

Photo Credit: Jackie Willis

Starbucks tweeted back at her with the perfect response: “@taylorswift13 Wait, it’s not?”

Maybe we should play some Taylor Swift tracks a few more times, eh? (As if we don’t play them enough)

Coffee and History

The history of coffee takes us back to an era when technology had barely existed. History demonstrates the simultaneous growth of coffee with technology.

C.E. 850 Ethiopia

DISCOVERY – The legend of the goat

According to legend, a goatherd named Kaldi coined the term ‘coffee.’ It happened when Kaldi saw his goats behaving differently after eating a particular cherry which turned out to contain coffee beans, which were later brewed with water by a monk making the first cup of coffee in a tin jar (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

C.E. 850 – 1000

Coffee as a religious ritual

Drinking coffee became a religious ritual for Muslims, and soon spread amongst other people and religions around the world.

C.E. 1000 – 1600

Coffee cultivation begins to spread worldwide

People started to smuggle coffee beans to different countries for yielding. Countries in Europe and the Middle East began to cultivate. Coffee began to be referred to with different names, such as Kavah Kanes and Dutch Koffie (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

C.E. 1600 – 1616

Public started consuming coffee

Coffee consumption continued to increase among the people, due to its great ability to energize drinkers immediately. “Pope clement VIII legalized coffee, enabling the common people to engage in coffee culture” (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

C.E. 1637 – 1696

Coffee houses and rising coffee culture

Public coffee houses arose in each part of world. Written regulations were also put into place following the rising coffee culture.

C.E. 1710 – 1790

France initiates first coffee brewing technique

People started to use coffee bags similar to tea bags for brewing coffee with water. In 1780, the first coffee brewer was invented and included filters (“Coffee Maker’s List”). Because the after taste of coffee filters was so unpopular, another invention caused a stir in France named the French drip pot, paving the way for contemporary culture.

Photo Credit: Royalty Free Image

1800-1865

Coffee brewing techniques started to stick

Coffee cultivation turned into mass cultivation. “Coffee machines such as the espresso maker, the vacuum pot and the siphon coffee maker were invented, which brewed coffee grounds with hot steam” (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

1886

Wholesale coffee

Coffee started to be consumed in large quantities, especially within the United States.

1890-1901

Commercialized coffee

From France to Europe, products like commercial espresso machines and the French press were drawing customers. People started using coffee machines in their own homes. The French press was remodeled in 1929, and was later known by different names in various countries (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

1908 – 1950

A more modern era

Nestle created steam-free, ready to brew packets to facilitate the coffee preparation proceess. Steam-free techniques began to develop across the world. More coffee houses began to pop up across the world; a favorite of World War II fighters was Maxwell House (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

1956 – 2012

Coffee moves to the city

The first Starbucks opened at Seattle’s Pike Place in Washington, introducing the all-too-popular concept of customizable coffee drinks. Makers developed long-lasting, durable, and high-tech machines, accounting for brewing time and good taste (“Coffee Maker’s List”).

Coffee and Politics

While coffee can be a delicious mid-day pick-me-up or breakfast accompaniment, it unfortunately can be one of the only things that a person drinks if he or she has anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is an emotional condition in which a person is so obsessed with losing weight that he or she refuses to eat. Anorexia is very common amongst adolescents and women (though it is a disease affecting both sexes), and about 5-20% of individuals that are diagnosed with anorexia will die (“Anorexia Nervosa”).

Warning signs to look out for in people who might have the condition, according to the National Eating Disorders Association:

In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns

Being a survivor of anorexia myself in middle school, I can tell you that the disease (for me) stemmed from insecurity about not being “perfect.” I felt that controlling what I ate made me more in control of my life, and that being skinny would make people like me more. In reality, however, not living up to my own expectations to what I thought was “perfect” ended up causing me to hate myself and just about everything I did. While I had good friends who expressed their concern, I think there were other people who could sense my inner weakness, and they definitely preyed on it. In fact, I was playing select/varsity volleyball at the time, and a few of the girls on my school team would shove me, and I would often fall over because I was so weak.

If it weren’t for my incredible coaches and personal trainers, who taught me that good health would make me stronger so that I could stand up for myself, I would not have gotten myself into shape or have become the person I am today. I am so appreciative to everyone in my life who made me realize the importance of good health, and more importantly, what true friendship is.

I really don’t want to sound preachy, but I am being sincere here…I strongly urge anyone who thinks that they or a friend are a victim of anorexia to contact the NEDA helpline at 1-800-931-2237, and more importantly, to receive counseling. Please remember that even though society puts so much emphasis on how you look, the truth is, you are so much more than just a body, and your dreams matter. Don’t let any feelings that you aren’t good enough or aren’t worth it allow you to harm yourself to the point that your body cannot achieve what you were born to do; graciously accept any help from friends who want to support you, and reciprocate any selfless acts your friends do for you.

So, next time you take that coffee break, feed off that caffeine buzz and extra energy to do something you love!